VC for bravery in India to fetch over £100,000

[JPL]

One of the first Victoria Crosses awarded is expected to fetch more than £100,000 when it is sold at auction next month. Sergeant-Major Peter Gill of the Bengal Army fought off more than two dozen attackers during the Indian Mutiny in 1857, armed only with his sword, saving the life of his commander and other senior officers and their families. Read the complete article: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/uk/article3578553.ece

Jean-Paul

[Mervyn Mitton]

Thankyou Jean-Paul. Great feats of courage and gallantry - and deserving of such a high price. However, 20

years ago it would probably have been lucky to reach 10,000 pounds. The earlier ones were never regarded very

highly by collectors - the standards of awardment were not so high as with later ones. Mervyn

[Guest pikemedals]

look like lord ashcroft will be having a spend up !

[medalworld]

It didn't make 100,000 this time. Hammer price was "only" 70,000 Pounds, plus buyer's fee, so maybe somebody got a bargain compared to the six figure prices these have been bringing.

The lower than expected price could have been because of the lower standards of the early awards as someone mentioned, or when one guy (Ashcroft) consistly buys every VC that come up for sale, other potential buyers just stop paying attention. Then again, the UK economy might have had more than a little to do with it.

If I had had a spare $150,000, I would have bid. Alas, I was only the underbidder on the nice DSC group in the same sale. I should have bid more!

[Mervyn Mitton]

DSC's consistently tend to fetch more then the MC or DFC. I suppose witha whole crew it is harder to pick someone out ? Mervyn

[peter monahan]

Great feats of courage and gallantry - and deserving of such a high price. However, 20

years ago it would probably have been lucky to reach 10,000 pounds. The earlier ones were never regarded very highly by collectors - the standards of awardment were not so high as with later ones. Mervyn

I agree with your assessment, Mervyn, on both the value and the deed. I have always felt that the term "a good VC", slung carelessly about by collectors, was the absolute height of mindless snobbery! I will grant that the standards have 'tightened up' over the years, principally after other medals and awards, particularly to rankers, became available. However, I defy anyone to show me a 'bad VC'!

My favourite contender for that one of those `less good` VCs would have to be Private Timothy O`Hea of the Rifle Brigade. In 1866 he discovered a fire in the ammunition car on a railroad train which also had 800 German immigrants locked into their cars. Single handed he threw burning cases out of the car then made 19 trips to a nearby creek for water to extinguish the fire. But not in the presence of enemy soldiers! He was awarded one anyway, after an exception was made. Braver than fighting off 20 mutineers with a sword; Not sure, but I`d be very very hesitant to label either a lesser award than say, charging a machine gun nest in the Falkland Islands!

Edited November 27, 2012 by peter monahan